ROINN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1913-21 ...

:If.Before. i was appointed Battalion Adjutant, Bantry Battalion,I joined the I.R.B. Iwas sworn in by Dan O’Mahoney (Ba1talion0/C).When America entered World War I in 1917, my brotheil Dan,who was serving in the American army, was sent to France.;Some time towards the end of 1917, or perhaps early 1918,, hecame home to Bantry on ten days’ leave. I arranged with himto send ariyiar.material he could lay hands on to me by othersoldiers coming on leave to Ireland. At different times hesent me two Colt automatics (.Il5), puttees, American antblouses — these were later dyed green to m1ce uniforms. Thelast supply was received from him in August 1918. The soldierwho hadtaken along a •tj5 Colt, puttees and some ammunititonhad only just left my home when it was raided by a strongforce of military and R.I.C. I managed to hide the gun andammunition in a sack of flour while my father led the midingparty into a room in which I was alleged to be sleeping.I later appeared from my awn room, which was also searchd andin which the supply of An tOglach, which had arrivea thad day,was found. The officer in charge was piacthg me under arrest,but after a discussion with my father and the R.I.C. offi4cer,he decided to leave me behind. However, he took away theparcel of An tOglach- the official organ of the IrishVolunteers. When they had gone, I learned from my father thathey had asked him to prevail upon me to give up my activitieswith the illegal organisation. As I continued my normalactivities as BattalionS djutant, my home became subject tocontinuous raids from now on, and I was compelled to go ‘onthe run’. This situation continued to exist up to the Trucein July 1921 during which period Iwas on continuous srvice.On 23rd September 1918, some members of Bantry Companydisarmed an R.I.C. patrol in the vicinity of the town and